Skip-elevating mechanism



Dec. 22 1925.

R. A. BECKWITH SKIP ELEVATING MECHANISM Filed May 16. 1924. 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 T10/hess.'

' Dec. zz .1925.

R. A. BEcKwlTH SKIP ELEVATING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 16, 1924 Patented D ec. 22, 1925.

" UNITED STATES PATENToFI-lca RAYMOND A. BECKWITH, F IILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOB TO KOmING OOI- PANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

SXIP-ELEVATING IECHANISI.

Application illed lay '16, 1924. Serial I0. 713,813.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, RAYMOND A. BuonwrrH, citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of lWisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Skip- Elevating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has to do with mechanism of a power operated nature for lifting heavy bodies.

In its preferred embodiment I utilize the mechanism of this invention as a power device for raising loading skips for concrete mixers. Such skips are usually pivoted at one end to the frame of the mixer and have a hopper-like body in which aggregates for the making of concrete are p aced, whereupon the skip is raised in order to carry the aggregates upward and discharge them into the mixer or receptacle.

Bearing in mind that the loading skip or hopper is pivoted at one end, it will be evident that a very considerable amount of 2l power will be required to lift it when loaded, as the hopper is virtually a long lever, from a mechanical viewpoint.

The means of this invention involves a peculiar drive wheel with linkage connec- 80 tions between the wheel and the skip, and a pivot bracket for the latter, by which the linkage connections or a portion thereof are utilized to give leverage power at redetermined times in the movement of t 1e parts, whereby to afford maximum amount of power in raising the skip during the initial movement of the latter, at relatively slow speed, thereafter accelerating the movement of the skip when a less amount of power is required at a certain time in the elevating movement and slowing down the speed again as the skip reaches the ultimate limit of such movement. Again m mechanism is so designed that when the s ip is lowered it 4lv will move at aV relatively high or accelerated speed as compared with any of its raising movements at the different speeds mentioned, such high speed lowering movement being of peculiar advanta e in conjunction l0 with concrete mixing mac ines because the efiiciency of such machines is largely de- )endent uponthe moving of the skip at the ighest rates of speed obtainable in expendmg the power necessary to do the work.

In the yaccompanying drawings:

Figure 1 illustrates my invention as embodled in what is knownas a concrete paving machine equipped with a power loader 1n the form of a plvotal skip or hopper.

Figures 2 and 3 illustrate somewhat diagrammatically the movements of the skip 1n ascending and descending under the control of the mechanical movement means of the invention.

Figure 4 is a plan view showing somewhat 05 more clearly the arrangement of the gearmg, links and bracket connections between the skip and the driving shaft.

The parts comprising the mechanical movement of this invention are relatively simple and few in number. In the drawings the concrete mixer or paver with which my invention is illustrated as used is shown in dotted lines and includes the mixin drum X, power plant Y, and boom and ucket distributing adjustment Z. The power plant of the machine comprises the'driving shaft E equipped with the sphere gears F and knotted on frame of machine so as to be connected in any suitable manner with the engine, not shown. The ears F engage large operating gears D an the connections between these gears D and the loading hopper or ski G are the essential feature of the invention. The loadin hopper G is pivoted near one end as s own at A by means of brackets H whichv arei largely attached to opposite sides of the upper smaller end of the skip. The connections between the skip G and the gears D include relatively long links 1 and shorter links 2. The gears D are mounted on a common shaft 3 or any suitable separate axis desired, and required by the particular arrangement of the gears upon the frame of a machine. The links 1 and 2 are connected together by pivot means B and the links 2 are connected at the pivot points 4 with the gears D. The links 1 are connected at the pivot points 5 with the opposite sides of the skip G and preferable directly attached to the plates or brackets I-I. The brackets H are provided with projecting ends having outstanding arms or lugs 6 operating beneath the links 1.

Bearing in mind the arrangement of the several parts as above set forth, the operation of the invention is as follows:

Assuming that the skip G. is in its lowered loading or receiving position as shown in Figure 1, a driving of the gears F .will be effected to operatethe gears D in a contra-clockwise direction denoted by the ari-ow on said gears. The first .effect obtained iii the elevating of the ski is to cause the pivot points 1l to move to t e lef't and downwards, bringing into action the links 1 as coiiipaiatively long levers engaging with the aiiiis oi' lugs (i. ln effect the long lever arm which may be characterized as` 5 is thus brought into operation causing a relatively slow and powerful lift of the skip. As the links 1 and 2 straighten out a short lever arm which may be characterized as A becomes effective causing an acceleration. of relatively fast movement of the skip during its intermediate zone of travel upwards. Then as the pivotal axis 3, ll, and 5 approach alignment toward the upper limit of movement of the skip, the latter isl slowed up, which is desirable because at this time the aggregates therein are being chuted into the mixing drum X. The foregoing completes the upper cycle of movement of the skip or loading hopper Gr.

As the wheels D continue to move after the skip G reaches its upper limit of movement, the links 1 and 2 operate practically as a rigid connection to the short lever arm A5 thereby causing a relatively fast movement of the skip practically throughoutrits complete downward cycle of movement. There is, of course, a very slight slow downward movement at the beginning of the cycle due to the passing of the pivot axis 3, 4, and 5 into alignment with each other, further due to the fact that the long lever arm A-B is brought into action as the skip reaches its lower limit of movement.

Summarizing, therefore, we have by the use of the mechanical features above described a preliminary slow powerful lift movement of the skip G as it starts up which movement becomes accelerated after the skip is elevated some little distance, and then is retarded at the final limit of such upward movement. In a downward direction the movement is initially slow a very short period, then fast until the skip is near the ground and then very slow as the links v1 and long lever arms A-B become effective with the arms 6, before described. The arrangement in cooperation with the part as set forth owing to the facility by which the skip may be hoisted and raised is of primai-y advantage in a'inachine of the class herein set foi-th.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the gear wheels l5, each or both of them, constitute a power device or mechanism; that the linkage 1-2 aords virtually two toggle links; that the arms 6 form fulcrums on which the links 1 operate, and

that the brackets 11 are pivoted intermediate their ends, practically speaking, in supporting the skip and its raising and lowering movement.

rIhus having described my invention, what 1 claim as new and desire to Secure by Letters Patent is 1. ln combination, a support, a loading skip mounted thereon, means pivotally connect-ing one end of the skip with the support, a rotating power device, links 'p coniiecting the pivoted end portion of the skip with said device, and means acting on one of the links intermediate its connection with the other link and its connection with the skip to convert said link into a lever at a predetermined point in the movement of the skip under the influence of the `power device.

2. lnA combination, a support, a loading skip, means connecting said loading skip with the support including a bracket device secured at one end to `the skip and pivoted intermediate its ends to the support, an arm connected with said bracket device at the opposite end, avrotatable power device, links connected with each other and one of which is connected with the power device, the other link being connected with the skip and adapted to fulcrum on the said arm of the bracket at a predetermined point of the rotation of the power device.

3. In combination, a support, a loading sk ip, means connectin said loading skip with the support inclu ing a bracket device .secured at one end to the skip and pivoted intermediate its ends to the support, an arm connected with said bracket device at the opposite end, a rotatable power device, links connected with each other and one of which is connected with the power device, the other link being connected with the skip and adapted to fulcrum on the said arm of the bracket at a predetermined point of the rotation of the power device, the other of said links connected with the power device being shorter than the link connected with the skip, and the said arm of the bracket also cooperating with the longer of the links adjacent to the point of the pivotal connection between the links.

4. In combination, a loading skip, a support, a bracket pivotally connected with the support between the ends of said bracket and Veffect a direct movement vof the skip inde perdently of the bracket cooperation aforesai 5. In combination, a support, a skip pivcted at one end to the su port, bracket means on the pivoted end of t e skip connecting it with the support, toggle linkage connected at one end with the skip, a ower device connected with the other end o said linkage, means for operating the power device to effeet a pull upon the linkage and to relieve such pull, and means intermediate the bracket means and the linkage, whereby the linkage may act as a lever relative to the bracket means and through the latter relatively to the skip.

(5. vIn combinatioma support, a skip pivoted at one end to the sulpport, bracket means on the pivoted end of t e skip connecting it with the support, toggle linkage connected at one end with the skip, a power device connected withv the other end of said linkage, means for operating the power device to effect a pull upon the linkage and to relieve vsuch pull, and means intermediate the bracket means and the linkage, whereby the linkage may act as a lever relative to the bracket means and through the latter relatively to theskip, the last means aforesaid comprising an arm oi'standing from the bracket means between the point'of connection of the linkage withv the skip and the point of said linkage connection with said power device and adapted to form a ulcrum 1n cooperation with said linkage substantially in the manner described.

7. In combination, a support, a loadin skip pivoted at one endto the support an adapted to receive materials at its opposite end, a power device, linkage permanently connecting the power device with the skip adjacent to the pivoted end portion of the latter and a shifting fulcrum carried by the ski and cooperating with a portion of said lin age to convert the latter into a lever action operating with variable leverage at dif ferent times during the operation of the power device.

8. In combination, a support, a loading skip thereon, bracket means rigidly mounted at one end of the skip and pivoted to the support to enable the skip to move pivotally also, a pivotal axis for said bracket means located between its ends, a power device, linkage connected with the power device at one side of the pivot of the bracket and pivoted to the skip at the opposite side of said pivot of the bracket, together with fulcrum means carried by the bracket variably cooperating with a portion of the linkage means for varying the speed of movement of the lskip under the pull exerted thereon by the power device acting through said linkage means. E

9. In combination, a support, a loading skip, a power device, linkage connecting the power device and loading skip adapted to exert a direct pulling effect upon the loading skip to elevate the same and operate it by direct action on said skip to lower it, and fulcrum means arranged to act upon a por tion of said linkage means at a certain time in the pulling operation of the power device to convert said portion of the linkage means into lever means for varying the speed of movement ofthe skip as compared with its speed incident to the direct pulling action of the linkage means.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

^ RAYMOND A. BECKWITH. 

